Unknown Past
by Nemisses
Summary: Ziva and Callen have a history together and it's not one Callen is very proud of.
1. Chapter 1

I would like to thank surferdude for beta-reading this. Read, enjoy and review. It's a crossover between NCIS and NCIS;LA. It focuses on Callen and Ziva.

**Unknown Past**

**Chapter 1**

**Nervous**

Callen kept pacing which, in itself, was a rare occasion. Sam and Kensi were surprised by his behavior during this past week. He wasn't himself. He was on edge. He was nervous.

'Ok, what's going on?' Sam asked. 'I've never seen you like this.'

'What do you mean? I'm fine. Just having trouble sleeping. Too much coffee, I suppose.' Callen walked away trying to avoid the conversation.

Sam and Kensi looked at each other. Sam shrugged his shoulders. 'He'll open up…after I'm done with him.'

Kensi chuckled. 'Go get him, Sam.'

The rest of the week was the same. The team coming into MTAC while Hetty was talking to Vance. 'So Agent David is definitely coming to LA to assist us in the investigation?' Hetty asked.

'Yes, her background will be of great value to the investigation. She knows her way around an orthodox Jewish community, so we won't be insulting anyone without even knowing it,' Vance assured the woman.

'When will she be arriving?'

'She's on route as we speak, should be there shortly. If someone can pick her up it would much appreciated. We have arranged a hotel for her, she'll know which one.'

Hetty nodded. 'Will do, Leon.'

Vance gave his usual brisk head shake, indicating the conversation was over and the communication was severed.

'Sam, Callen go pick up Agent David from the airport,' Hetty instructed the men who had just walked into the room.

'Why not send Kensi and Deeks, or just Kensi?' asked Callen nervously.

'What is going on with you, Mister Callen?' Hetty asked, taken aback by Callen's sudden outburst. Callen shrugged his shoulders and walked out.

'Agent Hanna, watch him for me, will you? Something is sure as hell is bothering him.'

'I will, Hetty,' Sam promised the diminutive woman.

Sam and Callen drove to the airport in silence. Sam kept looking at Callen during the ride.

'G.?' Sam finally asked, the silence from his partner killing him.

'It's none of your business, Sam. None of your business,' Callen said before Sam could get another word out.

'It is my business, you're my partner. What's going on? You've been on edge ever since we heard that Agent David might be…..' Sam stopped talking. 'Agent David, it has something to do with Agent David.'

'Leave it, Sam. Just leave it,' G. said.

Callen parked the car and was out of the car even before Sam. Sam had to jog in order to catch up to Callen.

'Why are so damn nervous, G.?' Sam grabbed Callen by the arm. 'What is it about Agent David that makes you so on edge?'

Callen sat down at a coffee stand and bought two coffees for him and Sam. He took a deep breath. 'She used to be my wife,' he told Sam.

Sam sure as hell didn't see that one coming. He sat down next to his friend and for a few minutes, they sat there in silence.

'She was the one, Sam. She was the one.'

'What happened?' Sam finally asked.

'We were young, we were in love, we got married, she got pregnant, and I ran as fast as I could in the other direction,' G. told him.

'You left her,' Sam said, not posing it as a question.

Callen nodded. He was so ashamed of his actions even after so many years. 'I wasn't exactly the person I am now. I would never in a million years would do such a thing now, but back then, I wasn't ready. I was pretty messed up back then and I didn't know how to tell her or what to do, so I took the cowards way out. I ran.'

'Have you talked to her since?' Sam wanted to know.

Callen shook his head. 'No, never. She wrote two letters I opened the first one, telling me the baby was born and I didn't even open the second one. I was convinced they were better off without me,' Callen said.

Sam stood up. 'Let's go. Her plane landed.'

Callen and Sam stood side by side watching the crowd waiting for Agent David. Callen spotted her the moment she came out into the waiting area. 'There she is,' he pointed her out to Sam.

Ziva walked towards Sam and Callen. She introduced herself to Sam and shook his hand. She didn't offer her hand to Callen.

'Please call me Ziva. After all, we are colleagues,' she told him.

Sam noticed she didn't even look at Callen. The car ride to the hotel she was going to be staying at was done in utter silence.

'Hetty's expecting you tomorrow morning at 07.00,' Callen said. 'Do you want me to come and pick you up?'

'I do not need anything from you.' She got out and walked off.

'That went well,' Callen said sarcastically.

'Can you blame her, G ?'

**TBC…**

**Review!**


	2. Chapter 2

Thanks to all those who took the time to review it's much appreciated. I once again thank Surferdude for beta-reading this. If there are still any language mistakes in it it's all mine because I added some, lost some and …ah well just read. Chapter 3 should be up this weekend.

**Chapter 2**

**Finding out the reason**

The following morning they all met in the Bullpen of the NCIS: Los Angeles headquarters. Ziva introduced herself to the others and sat down on the couch, waiting for Hetty to give instructions. Shortly after they all were complete, Callen entered the bullpen with a tray full of beverages.

'Here you go, one jasmine tea with a little bit of honey.' He placed the cup of tea in front of Ziva, but she didn't make a move or even acknowledged his gesture. Hetty and Kensi noticed the tea remained standing there untouched until it was cold and was thrown away by Callen.

'Sam,' Hetty called Sam to her office with a flick of her head. 'What's going on between those two? Agent David is trying very hard to completely ignore Callen.'

'A lot of history, Hetty, a lot. And to be honest, she has every right to treat him like that,' Sam explained.

'What do you mean, Mister Hanna?'

'They were married, Hetty and it wasn't because they had to for a mission, but they were truly married. Callen told me she was his first real love.'

'That explains a lot, but it still doesn't explain her downright hostility against him. Did he cheat on her?' Hetty asked him.

Sam shook his head. 'No, she got pregnant and he left her.'

Hetty turned around and was looking at Callen from a distance. 'He left a pregnant woman all alone?'

'Yup.'

'No, wonder she treats him the way that she does. So Agent Callen has a child somewhere…' Hetty said, contemplating the fact that her parentless agent was a parent.

'Don't know, she hasn't said anything about it and, as far as I know, she's never been in the company of a child during her time here in the States and no mother who is in her right mind would leave her child voluntarily.' While Sam was saying this, his mind began spinning and he could see Hetty's mind went the same route. What happened to the child?

Hetty assigned Agent David to Sam and Callen and they went their way. Ziva was civilized throughout the day, but she never once addressed Callen. She gave them a foot in the door with the Jewish community and, as a result, the case got along just fine. They found some good witnesses and one of those witnesses had even agreed to talk to a sketch artist under two conditions Ziva had to be present during the entire time and the sketch artist had to be a woman. Ziva agreed to come back later that day with the sketch artist.

Around lunchtime, Ziva's stomach gave a loud growl to indicate that she was hungry. They decided to get some lunch and for the first time Ziva responded to Callen's question on what she wanted to eat. Sam saw a big grin appearing on his friend's face. Maybe they were getting somewhere after all.

All three of them ate in silence. Sam not knowing what to say or do, Callen not willing to anger Ziva after her first acknowledgement of him, and Ziva not willing to open up to Callen.

Callen's phone rang. Hetty wanted him to come back to the office, so Sam and Ziva were left to their own devices. Sam found out pretty soon that Ziva was an enjoyable person to be around when she wasn't ignoring Callen and she adapted quickly to his investigation skills. She was a lot like Kensi, except maybe she was a little more of a lady, but he knew she was so much more deadly when it came down to it.

When they were on their way back to pick up the sketch artist, Sam thought: _now or never_. 'He told me,' he said to Ziva.

'Told you what?' she asked him, knowing he meant Callen, but not knowing what he would have told Sam.

'You and him,' Sam explained.

'He did?' She turned to him. 'He told you he ran when I was six months pregnant?'

Sam nodded. 'He's ashamed.'

'He should be,' Ziva said.

'Yeah, he should,' Sam said.

Silence engulfed the car.

'Maybe you two should talk,' Sam said after the silence had begun to be too much.

'No, I passed that station when I got no response to the second letter I wrote him after Zach was born,' Ziva said angrily.

'Zach?' Sam asked.

Ziva smiled a sad smile. 'Yes, Zachary Callen David. A beautiful baby boy, 6 pounds, 7 ounces and 18 inches.'

'He told me he got the letters, but he was too ashamed of what he had done that he didn't dare to contact you,' Sam told her.

Ziva turned to face him. 'So he did get the letters?'

'Yes, he did,' Sam said.

'So that means he also got my second letter?' she questioned.

'Yes, but he didn't open it. He figured you and the baby were much better off on your own without him and that if he opened the letter he would be compelled to contact you,' he said.

'The second letter I wrote was to tell him Zach had died,' Ziva said. Sam was baffled into silence with the new information. He'd figured she'd left the kid in Israel or something.

They arrived back at the LA headquarters and Ziva practically ran out of the car, leaving Sam sitting in the car. After a short while he got out and followed Ziva into building.

'Where is he?' Ziva demanded from Deeks when she got inside.

'Who?' he asked, confused.

'Callen.'

'In the gym,' Deeks told her and pointed in the general direction of the room.

Ziva ran towards the gym. She found Kensi and Callen sparring. She jumped in between and started to yell at Callen in Hebrew.

'_You didn't even open the second letter, you selfish bastard! We needed you more than anything in the world and you didn't even bother to open up the second letter!'_

Ziva decked him and began pounding into him. Kensi wanted to get in between them, but Sam held her back. Callen didn't fight back, he didn't make a move. Sam was hurting inside to see his friend like that but he knew this was something between the two of them.

'_Why don't you fight back, coward!'_

Ziva stopped hitting him. He had a bloody nose and his eyebrow was split, but he didn't do anything back. He just took it all without any complaint. He knew he deserved it all or at least that's what he thought.

TBC…


	3. Chapter 3

Many thanks to those who took the time out to write a review. Once again, I keep saying it to Surferdude for beta-reading this. Any language mistakes left are all mine. I hope I haven't missed a few. (LOL, thx) Read, enjoy and leave a review.

**Chapter 3**

**Calming down**

Ziva spat at him and walked away. Kensi was furious. Sam tried to calm her down, but as soon as he released her, she went after Ziva.

She caught Ziva who was just about to leave the gym. She grabbed her by the arm. 'Who the hell do you think you are?' Kensi all but yelled.

Ziva spun around and with a few swift moves, she had Kensi incapacitated and by the throat. Ziva, very slowly and with an ice cold voice, gave an answer to Kensi's question. 'I used to be his wife and I AM and ALWAYS will be the mother of his son.'

Kensi began to choke under Ziva's dead grip. Deeks, who had followed Ziva into the gym was about to intervene when he felt a hand grabbing his arm.

'I wouldn't do that if I were you, Mister Deeks, not if you want to walk out of here alive,' Hetty advised the young agent.

'She's killing Kensi!' Deeks protested.

'Let me handle it.' Hetty shoved Deeks out of the gym and turned to Ziva. 'Agent David, I am ordering you to let go of Agent Blye,' she said in her most threatening voice that was even known to scare Sam.

Ziva turned and faced Hetty while still holding Kensi. A silent stand-off ensued. All of a sudden, she pushed Kensi away from her. Kensi stumbled to the ground, desperately trying to take deep life-giving-breaths.

'As you wish, Agent Lang,' Ziva said, her eyes cold. Ziva was once again about to leave the gym when she turned. 'I will take the next flight out of here and fly back to DC as I am no longer needed or wanted here.'

Hetty took a mental note of that, but she needed to check on her team first before she addressed the problem of Agent David behavior. She walked to Kensi and, after being satisfied enough that she was alright, she went on to check on Callen.

Hetty stood quietly by as Callen was being pulled up by Sam. 'You okay?' Sam asked him.

Callen nodded. 'Yeah, I'll be fine. She needed to get it out of her system and I did deserve it.'

'I'm sorry, man. I caused all of this. I told her about our conversation earlier. She seemed very angry with you for not opening the second letter,' Sam told him.

'Yeah, I know. But why?' G. wondered.

'She lost Zach when he was seven months, G.,' Sam said.

'Zach?'

'Zachary Callen David. The first letter she wrote was to tell you about him. The second letter was to let you know that your son had died.' Sam knew that with this news he would hurt his best friend, but he needed to know. He needed to know why Ziva had reacted the way that she had done just now.

Callen's face crumbled. 'Oh, god what have I done? No wonder she called me a selfish bastard. I didn't say or do anything to help her, oh god. I need to talk to her.' Callen turned to leave and follow Ziva.

Hetty intervened. 'I don't think you should talk to her right now, she needs to calm down before you two talk about anything. Let's first check on the wounds we have sustained now, shall we?'

Hetty, Callen, Sam and Kensi left the gym. The entire team was taking in the news about Callen and Ziva. Callen took it very hard. He felt guilty for leaving her and his son. He felt guilty for not responding to her two letters. He would make it up to her, but first he needed to put ice on his wounds and she needed some time and space to calm down.

Hetty rescheduled the sketch artist for the next day and send everyone home. The following morning, when Hetty was one of the first to enter the building, she wasn't surprised to see Agent David waiting for her.

'Agent Lang, I would like to apologize for my behavior the previous day. I was…..' Ziva took a deep breath, 'out of order and very unprofessional.'

'Yes, you were,' agreed Hetty. 'But, given the circumstances, it was understandable.'

Ziva shook her head. 'No, it was inexcusable. I will report myself to Director Vance and await his sanction.'

'You will do no such thing, Agent David and you will also not be on the next flight back to DC. You are needed here and you will finish the assignment as it was given to you and then and only then you will book a flight back to DC. Have I made myself clear, Agent David?'

'Yes, ma'am.' Ziva still understood taking orders even though she wasn't Mossad anymore.

The rest of the team slowly began dripping in and Ziva knew she had some apologies to make. She nodded to Sam and came to a stop in front of Kensi's desk. She coughed in order to make her presence known. Kensi looked up at her. If looks could kill, Ziva would be dead and buried right then and there.

'Agent Blye, I wish to offer you my sincere apologies for my behavior yesterday and if I caused you any harm, I am very sorry for that,' Ziva said sincerely.

Kensi nodded. She had gotten the entire story from Sam yesterday and, although she still would defend Callen again if such a thing would occur again, she also understood Ziva's side a little bit now.

'What would you have done if I had struggled more?' Kensi asked. Ziva said nothing. Kensi and Ziva starred at each other. 'Ah, I see,' Kensi said, understanding she probably would have been killed.

Ziva turned to Deeks and Sam. 'I also would like to apologize to you two. If I have insulted you, I am sorry if I did.'

'No worries,' said Sam. 'We're good.'

Deeks look at Sam. 'We are?' Deeks asked him.

'Yes, we _are_.' Sam gave Deeks a look.

'Ok, we are,' Deeks agreed.

Ziva took a very deep breath and turned to the last person in the team she switched to Hebrew, it was safer more familiar.

'_We need to talk….but not now. Come to my hotel for diner and we'll talk then,' Ziva said._

Callen nodded.

**TBC….**

**Now that you read it, you might as well write a review. Anyway thanks for reading.**


	4. Chapter 4

Here is chapter 4. A big thank you to surferdude who beta-read this one. I also want to thank all of those who took the time out to review the previous chapter. Thanks. The more I get the better it feels. So keep them coming.

**Chapter 4**

**On speaking terms again?**

During that day, Callen and Sam escorted Ziva to the Jewish community again and they were accompanied by the sketch artist. Sam and Callen had a few hours to spare before picking up Ziva and the sketch artist again, so they went for a coffee in a nearby coffee shop.

'What did she say to you this morning?' Sam asked G. as they sat down with their coffee.

'She wants to talk,' Callen told him.

'Right, you want me to check in on you after a few hours just to make sure you're still breathing,' Sam joked.

Callen laughed. 'Sam, if she wanted me dead, I would have been a long time ago. She was one of the best in Metsada. Do you know she even had a nickname?'

'Nope, what was it?' Sam asked.

'Ghost.'

'Ghost?'

Callen nodded. 'She left no traces behind. It was as if she had never been there. The targets died without a trace, except when a statement had to be made, but even then she made sure there was never anything that could be traced back to her directly or to one of her undercover identities. Usually Metsada operatives would last three to four years, or if they were really good, five years. But in the end, they all would make a mistake that would cost them their lives. She was one off a very few that never did.'

Sam was impressed.

Callen's phone vibrated. Ziva was calling. She and the sketch artist were ready to be picked up.

'She called you,' said Sam with a smile on his face, 'on your private number.'

'She still has her ways,' Callen said, smiling.

'I'm impressed,' Sam said, approvingly.

Ziva and the artist were waiting nearby and got in the car very quickly. Something was up.

'What's wrong?' Callen asked.

'Nothing…' Ziva paused. 'I might have said something to a certain person which might be considered somewhat of an threat,' she confessed.

'What did you do?' Callen demanded.

'Nothing, really, I didn't. I just took a gamble and it may or may not work.' Ziva shrugged her shoulders.

'Zee, you didn't…'

'Don't you 'Zee' me.' She glared at Callen. She was back on speaking terms with him, but he knew not to push it when she glared at him like that, so he wisely kept his mouth shut.

Ziva's phone rang and a voice who spoke in a clearly very angry voice began ranting to her in Hebrew. It took a few minutes, but then Ziva closed her phone and sighed before a big smile erupted on her face.

'Turn around. We are going back to pick up some security footage,' she said.

Callen and Sam looked at her through the rearview mirror.

'A large Jewish community like this does not go without some kind of security. I merely suggested that it was in their best interest to hand over any footage they might have,' she explained to the men. She just didn't mention she used some old Mossad tricks to obtain the footage.

They arrived back at the synagogue and a rabbi was waiting for them near the entrance. He handed over some USB sticks and gave Ziva a look that could be described as icy. They exchanged some very polite conversation and Ziva headed back to the car where Sam and Callen were waiting for her.

When they got back to the office, it turned out to be the break in the case that they needed.

Since they were not getting any answers from Ziva as to how and why she had gotten the footage, the team went to the only other person that had been present during the entire time. According to the sketch artist, it was like watching a chess game unfold in front of her eyes. Even thought the artist didn't know a word of Hebrew, she knew that Ziva had been very slowly but very persistently been backing the Rabbi into a corner until he had caved and promised them the footage.

It was late in the afternoon when Ziva asked Callen to bring her back to the hotel. They silently sat in the car during the ride and when he dropped her off at her hotel, she turned to look at him.

'_When are you going to be here?' _she asked him in Hebrew.

'I'll go home, get changed and I could be back within the hour,' G. offered in English.

'_How about eight o'clock instead? I will order room service and we can talk,' _Ziva said in Hebrew again, knowing her ex could still understand every word.

'Sure, eight it is then.' Callen felt like a teenager who was about to go to the prom. Not that he ever had been to one, but he was sure that this is what it felt like. Even after all that had happened, she still could make him feel week at the knees. It only took one look.

Ziva touched his cheek. _'Zach looked a lot like you.' _And with those words, she left the car.

Callen was nervous. He hadn't gone to his home, but went back to the office instead.

'You're nervous, Mister Callen?' Hetty asked, startling him. G. hadn't known she was still in the building. Hetty stood a few feet away. 'Yeah, I'll be meeting Ziva in an hour or so. We're going to talk.'

'I see…is that what you'll be wearing?' she asked him.

Callen looked at his outfit. 'What's wrong with it?' he wondered. He was wearing his normal outfit and didn't see anything wrong with it.

'Nothing, but I think the mother of your child deserves something more than you wearing your work clothes when she is having dinner with you,' Hetty said.

When Callen came out of the dressing room, Kensi and Hetty were waiting to judge him.

Kensi made an approving noise and Hetty just nodded in total approval. He was wearing a black ensemble. Nothing too fancy, but it suited him nicely.

'This is weird. I am not about to go out with her, we're just going to talk and if I don't make any stupid mistake, I just might get of there alive,' he told the women.

'Yes, we know,' said Kensi. 'But trust me; we women appreciate it when a man makes some kind of effort to at least look descent. You'll score points with her even before,' she made a gesture with her fingers, 'the talk.'

Callen looked at Hetty for assistance, but Hetty would have none of it.

'Miss Blye is right,' she told him.

Callen was on his to the hotel when he realized that he didn't even know what room Ziva was in. He checked with the reception desk and then he was on his way up. He took a deep breath in front of her room and knocked.

**TBC…**

AN: Come on, just a little review won't hurt you. So push that button and write some words down, those words will make sentence and that sentence will make up a review. (if you put them in the right order.


	5. Chapter 5

Thx once again to surferdude for beta-reading this to me. Someone mentioned this isn't the way Callen would react if he ever found out he was going to a dad, well no NOT NOW but back then this is the way he reacted before he was with NCIS. (besides it's fanFICTION)

**Chapter 5**

**Everything out in the open**

Ziva heard the knock on her door and went to get it. She opened it and held her breath. He looked good. Damn, he looked _more_ than good. _Ok, girl, get it together. This is the man that left you when you were six months pregnant, that didn't even contact you when his own son was born, or even when his own son had died._ She felt the anger rise. Damn him for looking so good.

She didn't say anything, but walked back into the room, indicating that Callen should come in.

'_I ordered room service. Something with chicken, if that's okay,' _she told him.She switched to Hebrew, knowing he would understand it. She would be better at expressing herself in her native tongue.

'Sure,' he said in English.

Both people in the room remained silent. Neither one of them knew how to start with the pain. Neither one of them was ever really that good in expressing any kind of feelings.

'So…..' Callen started. 'I never left because of anything you did.' Ziva looked up, her anger once again rising. She spat the next words to him.

'_And how was I to know that? You never even bothered to contact me. Not when our son was born, nor when he died. For a long time, I blamed myself, thinking about what I could have done to make you stay, maybe I should have terminated the pregnancy. And then when Zach died, I felt I was being punished for even thinking that,' _she said.

Anger took over and Ziva felt she needed to calm herself or else this would be one big mistake even before it began. She took deep breaths and regained control again.

'What happened?' Callen asked.

'_One day I was feeding him when I noticed his eyes kept rolling back into his head. It only lasted a few seconds, but I knew something was terribly wrong. When I took him to the hospital the same day, all kinds of test were done on him and when they were finally done, they told me he had a brain tumor,' _she told him, sadly remembering that horrible day.

Callen sank down in the one sofa of the hotel room. 'I let you down,' he stated simply.

'_Yes, you did. We needed you, but after you didn't respond to the letter, I figured you didn't want to have anything to do with me or him.'_

There was a knock on the door. The food had arrived. Ziva silently watched as the food was rolled in. Callen tipped the waiter and closed the door when it was all done.

They silently sat down and started to eat, each in their own world.

'I wasn't ready for you; I wasn't ready for all of it. Your love for me was so pure it scared me,' G. admitted a little while later.

'_Why?' _she asked him, confused.

'I didn't want to lose you. So I figured I might as well leave before you realized you didn't want me. Just like everyone else in my life has done. That this time, I was going to be one that did the abandoning,' he said, his words not really helping their situation, but needing to be said anyway.

'_You sure as hell picked a hell of time,' _she said, angrily_. _

'Don't you think I know that? Don't you think I feel guilty? I should have been there, I should have been at you side. It's not something I am very proud of, you know,' he defended.

Callen dropped his fork and started pacing around the hotel room. 'When I got your second letter, I didn't dare to open it. I was so ashamed of my actions, that I figured you were better off without me. I know now what a colossal mistake that was. I was so afraid you might turn your back on me if I showed up, so I figured I'd make it a clean cut.'

'_So our son was nothing more than something to make a clean cut from?' _Ziva asked him, hurt by what he'd said.

This time Ziva didn't do anything to keep her anger at bay. How _dare_ he to make this into something he could walk away from. Family is for life, whether you like it or not. Just take a look at her and her father. She didn't want him near her ever again, but still she kept the door open to contact from a distance because after all, he was family. You can't walk away from family, even if you sometimes want to. You can distance yourself, but walking out on them was impossible. Sometimes family love can be though and force you to make hard decisions, but family is for life. But she realized something. Callen never had a family; he never knew anything about family relationships. He never knew that, no matter how twisted and sick the relationship got, it still was somewhat of a relationship.

She calmed down. She finally realized Callen never had known what family means and when she had gotten pregnant, it had just meant another reason for Callen to be afraid she might leave him like all the others in his life had done. This epiphany didn't mean she wasn't still angry with him, it just meant she understood his reasoning for leaving a little more. She sighed. Why hadn't he talked about it when this all occurred? It would have saved everyone all the trouble now.

Callen returned to the table and started to finish his diner. Ziva kept staring at him, she understood it now. She still didn't like the decision he had made at the time and she was still angry about it, but in some sick little weird way, she understood.

'You named him Zach?' G. asked after a while of silence.

'Zachary Callen David,' she told him.

'A strong name,' Callen commented, liking the name she'd picked, happy part of his own was in there.

Silence ensued. Two people sitting at one table together, but yet they were lifetimes apart.

Ziva zoned out for a little bit, remembering Zach's cute little giggle. He always made her smile when she had heard that. She began to speak as she was reminiscing.

'_Yes, he was a strong little man. No matter how much they pocked and prodded him, he always had a smile on his face. He had the cutest little giggle,' _she told G.

Ziva got up. She rummaged through her belongings and came back with her wallet.

She picked out a photo and handed it to Callen. He stared at it. For the first time, he saw his son. It was a beautiful boy, curly black hair and a somewhat darker complexion.

'Can I keep this?' he asked her, not taking his eyes off of his son.

'_No, it's my favorite. I'll make a copy and send it to you by mail, but this one is mine.' _She quickly grabbed the photo, as if Callen was going to steal it away from her. Callen realized that maybe she understood a little bit why he left, but he also realized she wasn't about to forgive or forget. That would take a lifetime.

**TBC….**

AN;I had a hard time writing this at specially the part about family. You don't get to choose your family, you may like them (my family gets along just fine but like every family you have your moments) or you may have problems, but no matter what even if you 'hate' them they are still family. I hope I did not insult anyone, it is not what I wanted and I hope that I have tried to explain what family means. In good and bad times family is not something you pick and choose.


	6. Chapter 6

The final chapter. I hope I have done Zach justice. Thank you surferdude for beta-reading this for me. Thanks to all those who have left a review.

**Chapter 6**

**She understands**

At the end of dinner, Callen got up and was going to leave. They had talked about a lot and he needed to digest all of it. As he was about to leave, he turned around.

'If you get only one thing out of this, Zee, it was never your fault. I was the one that made the biggest mistake of my life.' And with that, he left.

Callen closed the door silently, he leaned against him. Tears running down his face, what a mess he had made… If he had played his cards right, he would still be married to a woman who had loved him more than life itself and he would have been there when his son had needed him.

Ziva felt empty. This wasn't how it was suppose to be, she was supposed to be really angry with him for a long time. She would make his life miserable just as he had done during those first months after he had left and when he hadn't come when she had told him about his son. She sighed. She knew why, she had found out the hard way life was too short to stay this angry for so long.

As Callen walked to his car, he realized something. Ziva understood now, wasn't ready for anything else, but at least she understood the reason why. He had never been so open to anyone, not even Sam. Ziva was the only living human being who knew his greatest fear: people walking out on him after he had given his trust, loyalty and in Ziva's case love.

The following morning, Ziva came back to LA headquarters. She walked over to Callen's desk and silently handed him an envelope.

'_I'll send you more once I get back home,' _she said and walked away.

She went to Hetty's office so she could debrief Hetty on the events as they had enfolded yesterday.

Callen opened the envelop and saw the photo of Zach Ziva had shown him yesterday.

'Zach?' asked Sam quietly as he moved behind Callen.

Callen nodded not able to speak. He just stared at his son. His fingers slowly caressing the photo. His son.

Later that morning, they drove Ziva to the airport, as the case was about to close and she was no longer needed in LA. Callen and Ziva stood there awkwardly. He extended his hand, knowing she wouldn't appreciate him touching her. She surprised him by gathering him in her arms for a hug. He inhaled her scent deeply, remembering the old days before everything had begun falling apart due to his insecurity. A little first step had been made to begin the repair for friendship. She understood, she didn't forget, and she sure as hell hadn't forgiven him, but she understood.

'Goodbye, Gideon,' she said and with that, she left for the boarding gate.

'Gideon?' Sam asked.

'Yes, she thought it suited me. It means great warrior in Hebrew you know.' Callen sounded schmuck.

'Is it your real name?' Sam wanted to know.

'As far as I know, nope. But you know what? I've always liked it,' said Callen.

Two days later, Callen received a huge file on his computer. He couldn't even open it, due to its massive amount. He asked Eric if he could access it on the main computer. Eric was reluctant at first, because you never know what you're downloading, but after Hetty interfered by saying it came from a very reliable source, he went along with it.

The file was opened and a video began playing. A hospital corridor. A female's voice was heard and Callen smiled.

'Aunt Netty, Ziva's aunt. Great lady,' Callen filled everyone in.

A voice in Hebrew started as soon as they entered a hospital room. They all could see Ziva lying there, still all sweaty and tired, but with the biggest smile you can image on her face. Next to her lay a small baby. She was examining it, touching fingers, touching toes. Not realizing that she was filmed while doing so.

'_All complete. Happy birthday, Zach. Welcome to my world.' _She kissed him on the forehead.

The voice behind the camera began to sob. _'My grandson.' _

'_You grab the camera and film me holding my first and, so far, only grandson.' _

The camera was shoved into Ziva's hands and Aunt Netty appeared. She was holding Zach and was smiling proudly into the camera.

The video had filmed some more visitors coming in and out to take a look at the baby, but it focused on Zach the most. He just slept through the entire ordeal, not really bothered too much as to who was holding him.

The video skipped about three months and this time it was showing Zach trying to catch his feet. He didn't succeed and the entire team saw how frustrated he became with it. When he realized his mother was filming him, he gave her a goofy grin and began sucking his thumb.

'Like father like son,' murmured Hetty softly.

Again the video skipped two months and this time Zach was feeding on a bottle. A female's hand was showing and then it happened. The entire LA team all saw it, it only took a split second but it was visible Zach's eyes were rolling back into his head. They heard the female's voice panic. The bottle was thrown away and Zach was being lifted from his chair, which fell due to the panic state the mother was in. The film continued with the fallen chair as its only witness for a view more seconds and then it went black.

It resumed with Zach lying in a hospital bed with his mother sleeping next to him. She was exhausted, dark rings around her eyes. She had lost weight. Zach was hooked on several IV lines and life support he seemed so small and fragile. Aunt Netty sat down next to him and started to stroke his face. Zach looked so peaceful. He was done fighting. He had done all he can.

'_Hello, Zach. Are you going to let your Ima sleep for a little bit? She is very tired. Don't you ever forget, she loves you more then you will ever know. She would trade places with you in a instant, but she cannot, can she? You are going to leave us very soon, aren't you? You and your beautiful soul have touched us deeply. Your Ima is going to miss you, you keep an eye out for her when you are up there.' _Zach opened and closed his eyes as if he understood.

The team had left shortly after this. They gave Callen space and time to watch the final moments on film of his son. He saw the grief on Ziva's face when she came out of Zach's room. She was grief-stricken. The camera went black….

When Callen left MTAC shortly thereafter, no one said anything. He left the building and Sam silently followed him. Sam had his back. Callen grabbed his phone and pushed speed dial.

'Hey,' he heard softly in his ear.

'Thank you,' he said, the only two words he could even think of to say.

'You are welcome,' she told him.

She understood.

**The End.**


End file.
